Chapter 43

Chapte r 43

Rico

I follow my teammates back to our locker room where we continue the celebration. After we finish with Coach, I grab my phone. I want to call Bri and try to catch her before she falls asleep for the night. When I see I have a voicemail and a missed call from here, I realize she probably went to bed. I'm disappointed, but I'll call her first thing in the morning. I can't believe how much I miss my girl! I put my phone up to my ear to listen to her message, grinning at the dance moves Dylan is trying and failing to pull off.

"Hey Love, congrats on the win. You played amazing. So, um, I just wanted you to know that I'm at the hospital. Nothing to panic about yet. The doctor said I'm probably several hours away yet from giving birth, but my water broke and I'm having contractions. Um, yeah, so I just wanted you to know. I love you. Maybe call when you get this message because I really just need to hear your voice. I mean, whenever is fine. I'm totally fine. I just wanted to see maybe how far away you were, but I'm totally fine. Anyway, love you. Call me."

I stare down at my phone as panic grips me. "No. No. No." It gets quiet in the room, but I don't even notice.

"Garcia," Gunner says from across the room. "What's wrong?"

I play Amber's message to the silent room. "Well, at least she's fine," Sebastian says with a grimace.

I start grabbing my stuff and shoving it in my bag. "What's the plan?" Gunner asks quietly.

"I'm going home."

Sebastian nods. "Good plan. First, though, you might want to change out of your hockey uniform. Second, how are you getting home exactly? Our flight isn't until tomorrow afternoon."

I'm already stripping out of my hockey gear and uniform. Gunner and Sebastian are both on their phones, but I don't pay attention. My mind is solidly fixed on figuring out a way to get to the hospital in time for this baby. I grab my phone. We're currently in stinking Lansing, Michigan. It's almost a six-hour drive back to Green Bay. I don't have that kind of time. I start looking at flights.

"What's going on?" A freshly-showered Aiden asks.

"Amber's in labor."

His eyes widen, and he curses softly under his breath. He turns away and I go back to my phone. "Okay," Gunner says a minute later. "Coach knows what's going on. We're good to go."

I shake my head. "There are no flights until mid-morning; that will be too late."

"That's why we're not taking a flight," Sebastian says, waving his phone. "I got us an Uber."

"Who's willing to drive six hours away?" Aiden asks.

"I made it very worth his time. Let's go."

"Wait. We're taking an Uber for a six-hour drive?" I ask, unable to wrap my mind around everything.

"You got a better plan?" Seb asks.

"No, I—"

"Then let's go."

I follow them out of the locker-room and through the back of the arena. When we get to the parking lot, I stop. "It's a mini-van."

"How else were we all going to fit? There's no way the three of us are fitting in the back of some three-seater. This was the only thing big enough for us available tonight," Seb as he opens the trunk.

"Wait, you guys are going with?" I ask in confusion.

"It's my sister-in-law," Aiden says before he climbs inside.

"She's like my sister," Seb says as he climbs in next.

I turn to Gunner. "I'm not letting you do this alone." He climbs in, and I'm left standing outside."

"Rico, let's go!" Seb shouts from inside the van, propelling me into action. And that's how I find myself in the back of a stinking mini-van with three other huge hockey players. We drive through the night, stopping only for gas. We're too keyed up to sleep, and Seb keeps the conversation going. I mostly listen; my mind is on my girl. I tried calling her as soon as I got in the van, but it went right to voicemail. I've tried several times since then, but her phone must have died. I rub my chest and try to keep the panic that's clawing at my chest at bay.

Hour after hour passes until I think I'm going to go crazy. "We're going to make it in time," Seb says for like the hundredth time.

"Seb?"

"Yeah?"

"Shut up." I can't handle any more of his toxic positivity right now.

Seb grins. "Yes Sir, Dad."

I shake my head and look out the window before trying Amber's phone again. I want to throw it out the window when she doesn't answer. I try my mom, but she doesn't answer. I even try my sister, but she doesn't answer either. Of course, it is four-thirty in the morning; so there is that. Finally, we make it across the Wisconsin state border. I can't keep my leg still; I'm so anxious, so worried I've missed it. I'll never forgive myself if she had to go through labor and delivery all by herself. I jerk my head around to Aiden. "Anything from Brielle?" He shakes his head.

"Doesn't anybody get up early?" I say in frustration.

"Not my woman," Seb says with a grin. "She sleeps like the dead."

"It's not even five yet," Gunner reminds me calmly.

I go back to staring out the window, willing us to get there sooner. The next hour drags, and I am ready to lose my mind. Finally, we get within city limits. I tell the driver the fastest way to get to the hospital across town. I'm so glad I went with Amber for the walk-through; I know exactly which hospital she's at. My phone rings, startling me. I grab it, desperate to hear from Amber. It's not Amber; it's my mom.

"Rico, Amber's in labor at the hospital!"

I wince and lower the volume on my phone. "I know, Mom. I'm heading there now. Have you heard anything recent?" I ask, desperate for any news on my girls.

"No, I'm so sorry. I put my phone on silent, so I could sleep. I just got up and listened to her message that she left last night. I tried calling her, but—"

"Her phone is dead," I interrupt. "I'm across town; I'll be there soon."

"Do you want me to come?"

"No, not yet. Let me get there and see what we're dealing with. I'll keep you updated."

"Okay, Honey." She sounds worried, but I can't do anything to assuage her fears until I get to the hospital. The driver says something, but I miss it.

"I gotta go, Mom. I'll call you."

"What'd he say?" I ask Aiden.

"There's a twenty-minute delay." His voice is as grim as his words.

"Are you kidding me?" I explode. The van slows down and then stops in wall-to-wall traffic. And just like that, the calm I've been desperately trying to hang onto for hours just dissipates. I reach for the door handle, but it won't open. "Unlock the doors," I demand.

"What are you doing?" Seb asks right as the doors unlock.

I pull it open and hop out. "I'm going to the hospital."

"What?"

I don't bother responding. I start jogging through the lineup of cars. "You're insane," I hear behind me. I turn back and see Gunner, Aiden, and Sebastian all jogging behind me. If I wasn't so panicky, I would smile.

"Can I just remind you we're not long-distance runners?" Seb calls out.

"It's only five miles," I call back. "You do that in a typical game."

"Yeah, on skates!"

I focus on maneuvering around the cars and keeping my speed up. I keep my map pulled up on my phone and glance at it often to make sure we're on the right track. By about mile three, I'm reminded that I am most definitely not a runner. I'm too bulky. But thoughts of Amber in labor alone propel me forward. We finally make it to the parking lot, and I don't know when I've ever been so grateful to see a building. I run through the lot with the guys right behind me. We burst through the front door, causing nearly every eye in the place to turn to us. I am aware of the scene we are causing, but I could care less. I stride over to the check-in. "My wife's in labor. I need to get to her right away."

The woman stares up at me, slack jawed. "Um, it's on the fifth floor." She says something else, but I don't stick around to listen. I run to the elevator and smack the wall when I see the out of order sign. Stairs it is. I turn around, but Gunner's already pointing in the direction of the stairs. We jog down the long hallway and hit the stairs. By the time we get to the top, my calves are screaming; but I don't let it slow me down. I throw open the door and stride inside, stopping at the front desk. "My wife's in labor. Amber Garcia. My name is Rico Garcia."

"Are you the dad?" she asks.

"Yes."

"I'm just going to see some ID and then—"

My patience is gone. Evaporated. "I'm on the Green Thunder hockey team. Look me up. What number?" She just blinks. "What room number?" I demand.

"Uh, 527." I'm already jogging. "Wait, you can't all go back there..."

I run down one hall and hit another and finally make it to 527. I shove the door open and stop. There she is. She's bent over, holding her stomach. Sweat lines her forehead, and her eyes are scrunched in pain as she breathes through a contraction. I stride over to her and take her hand. "I'm here, Baby." Her eyes pop open, and I can see the pain in her eyes. I look at the machine and take in what's going on. "It's almost done, Baby. Just keep breathing. Good girl." The contraction begins to loosen, and she sits back against her pillows, looking exhausted. My heart squeezes in my chest when she turns those gorgeous eyes to me and even manages to smile.

"Rico."

I lean forward and kiss her cheek. "I'm here."

"Well, thank goodness for that."

I look over and realize for the first time that Mrs. Randolph is sitting next to Amber, holding her other hand. Knowing that Amber wasn't alone eases something in my chest. She stands up and pats Amber's hand. "You're in good hands now; your man is here. You're going to be fine. You're strong. Don't forget that."

"I can't thank you enough," my girl says, but Mrs. Randolph waves her off. She gives me a stern look as she walks past.

"Take care of them."

I nod. "I will. Thank you for being here when I couldn't be." She nods again and then disappears from the room.

"I'm so glad you're here," Amber says in a soft voice.

"I'm so sorry I didn't get here sooner." She gives me a onceover. "Uh, I didn't get a chance to take a shower last night and that was before I rode for six hours in a car and then ran five miles."

Her eyes widen. "You ran five miles."

I don't get a chance to say anything else, because she leans forward. I eye the screen. "Okay, Baby. Take a deep breath. There you go. Keep breathing. You're hitting the peak." She gasps in pain, and my heart tugs in my chest. "Keep breathing. Okay, it's coming back down." She lays back exhausted, and I push her hair off her forehead.

"Thanks," she whispers with her eyes still closed.

I glance around the small room. "Shouldn't there be a doctor in here?"

"She's been in and out," Amber says softly. When she opens her eyes, she squeezes my hand. "Rico, I didn't know she was coming. I didn't bring my bag; I didn't get the car seat. I don't have anything."

I lean forward. "I'll take care of everything. Let's just get our girl here, and then I'll go get what we need, okay?" I lean forward and kiss her cheek.

The door opens and a doctor sweeps in. "Okay, Amber. Let's check your progress." After washing her hands, she turns to me. "You must be dad."

"I am."

"I'm Dr. Anderson. I'm going to be delivering your baby." She moves over to Amber, and a nurse comes in as well. I hold Amber's hand as they check her, noting the grimace on her face. "All right. It's about time. We're going to get you ready to get this little one out." I watch as Amber nods. Our room is a buzz of activity after that. They get Amber ready to deliver. Another nurse comes in, and they set up the birthing station.

The next twenty minutes will be indelibly engraved on my brain for the rest of my life. I lean forward and wipe the sweat from my exhausted wife's brow. "You've got this, Baby." She turns to me, and for the first time, I see the crack in her strong facade.

"I can't do this, Rico," she whispers. Nobody else hears her, but I do. I lean over her and get eye to eye with her.

"You can do this, Amber Nicole. You're the strongest person I know." She begins to shake her head, but I squeeze her hand. "Our little girl is waiting to meet us. You just need one more push to get her out. You can do this."

"Okay, Amber," the doctor says. "On this next contraction, I want you to bear down. She's almost here."

"You can do this," I tell her again and then move back. The contraction hits, and Amber pushes, crying out and squeezing my hand hard. And then, she comes out.

"She's here," the doctor calls out. And then there's a wail. I stand to my feet, still holding Amber's hand. And then I see her. My heart instantly grows at least twice in size. They place the wailing baby in Amber's eyes, and I watch as the tears form in her eyes.

"Hey, Baby girl." And then my own fight with tears is lost. Amber kisses her, and she quiets. Amber looks up and meets my eyes. "She's here," she says in awe. "Come meet your little girl." I lean over the two of them and look down at the most perfect thing I've ever seen. "This is your daddy," Amber says softly. The baby starts crying again, and I lean closer to the two of them.

"Hey, Little One, it's okay." She stops fussing, and I reach a finger out. When she wraps her tiny hand around my finger, I think that's the moment I know my heart is forever hers. She'll have me wrapped around her finger for the rest of her life. I look at my other girl. "I am so proud of you." I lean forward and pull both of them into my arms.

"Mom, we're going to take her for just a few minutes to clean her up and then we'll get her right back to you." The next hour blurs by with a bunch of activity. Finally, it slows a little and they bring the baby back so Amber can try nursing her. Baby does pretty well and goes to sleep on Amber's chest.

The nurse comes in to check on Amber and the baby. "You rest for a little bit while you can." She comes back just a few minutes later. "Are you up to some company?" I look at Amber, letting her take the lead. She nods, even though she's exhausted. The nurse opens the door and waves whoever is waiting inside. "These three, well, mainly this one, have been driving me crazy for hours." I don't even have to look to know that she's pointing at Sebastian.

"Thank you," I tell her as my three friends and teammates walk in. They all three wear matching pictures of awe on their faces, that I'm sure reflect my own.

"Hey Guys," Amber says softly. "I heard you had quite the adventure. Would you like to see her?" She looks to me, and I stand up and carefully take the baby from her arms. I kiss her forehead before standing and walking to the end of the bed.

"Here she is," I say reverently.

And just like that, three of the strongest guys I know melt into a puddle of goo as they oooh and ahh over her. "How are you, Amber?" Aiden asks.

She gives him a tired smile. "I'm good."

"Bri's on her way; she went to go get your mom."

"Oh good. I'm sorry. My phone died, and I haven't been able to charge it."

"No worries," he says softly. "Congrats, she's beautiful."

Amber practically glows, and I have a hard time looking away. She's never been more beautiful to me than in this moment.

"We'll be sure to get Rico here earlier for the next baby," Sebastian says to Amber. She groans, and he grimaces. "Too soon?"

"Too soon," I growl.

"What did you name her?" he asks. "Sebastiana has a nice ring to it. I'll even take Sebina."

Amber smiles and shakes her head. I meet her eyes. We talked about baby names but never settled on one for sure. "Riley Grace," she says, and I smile. Riley was one of my favorites.

I stare down at the tiny bundle in my arms. "Riley Grace." Then I look back at Amber. "It fits her."

The door to the room opens, and Amber's mom and my mom and Bri all walk in, wide-eyed.

"Oh my goodness."

"She's here."

"She's perfect."

"She has Amber's eyes."

They gush over her as I turn my gaze back to the love of my life. I love you, I mouth to her. I'm rewarded with the most beautiful smile.

I love you more.

Surrounded by our friends and family and holding this little girl in my arms while my wife lays in the bed a few feet away from me, I realize it doesn't get any better than this. This is everything I ever dreamed of and so much more. Every hockey game I've ever won pales in comparison to this moment right now. I want to hang on to this moment and to my loves. This is what really matters. These girls have my heart now and forever.